Director Aleksandr Sokurov's 2002 film, Russian Ark, features "200 cast members, 3 orchestras, 33 rooms, 300 years, ALL IN ONE TAKE."
The film follows a 19th century French aristocrat with the viewer as his silent companion, as they travel through 300 years of Russian history and the people that shaped it. It was filmed in the Russian State Hermitage Museum and required a great deal of logistical planning. The film itself was accomplished on the third attempt and is considered by many to be the longest tracking-shot in cinematic history.
The viewer is integrated as a silent voyer and companion, and seemingly addressed by many individuals throughout the film. Could the viewer and their viewing environment be considered an essential component of the film and thus a part of it's "aura"? Is the initial experience by a viewer of the continuous tracking-shot, considered the immersion effect found within the "aura"? Consider the demand that Sokurov places upon the viewer as an accomplice in order to make this artwork complete.
Trailer for Russian Ark: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3011510553/
Film critic Roger Ebert wrote an interesting commentary on the film with a particular interest in the merit of the continuous shot. Should it be considered a novelty or an innovation within cinematic history? How might this film be different without it?
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/russian-ark-2003
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